Saint Mary’s enhances entrepreneurship and innovation through new centre

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To celebrate more than 25 years of cultivating entrepreneurship at Saint Mary’s, the school is today introducing the Saint Mary’s University Entrepreneurship Centre.

Meet the disruptive entrepreneurs from Saint Mary's

“Although Saint Mary’s has always aimed to instill an entrepreneurial mindset within our students across all academic disciplines, we’re now taking our focus on entrepreneurship to the next level,” says Saint Mary’s University President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray.To launch the new entrepreneurship centre, more than 200 Saint Mary’s alumni, business partners, and government representatives are gathering tonight at a special venture showcase. In conjunction with the centre’s launch, the university is also kicking off a creative campaign celebrating graduates’ entrepreneurial successes.

“We created this campaign to highlight the immense number of inspiring stories that started in the hallways of Saint Mary’s University,” says Dr. Patricia Bradshaw, Dean of the Sobey School of Business. “Today, and over the coming months, we’re celebrating the success of our alumni by showcasing the great entrepreneurial careers launched by graduates in Arts, Business, and Science.”

The Saint Mary’s University Entrepreneurship Centre, formerly known as the Sobey School Business Development Centre (BDC), has played a key role in building workforce skills, creating employment, supporting start-ups, and growing companies. It has also offered undergraduate and graduate students hands-on business research and consulting experience.

“Approaching the BDC’s 30-year mark, we’ve helped thousands of businesses and tens of thousands of graduates,” says Michael Sanderson, the Saint Mary’s University Entrepreneur Centre’s Acting Director. “As a bridge to the community, we’re pleased to see the repositioning of our role through the launch of the Saint Mary’s Entrepreneurship Centre; we’re ready for growth.”

“Saint Mary’s has been developing and mentoring entrepreneurs for decades,” says
Dr. Summerby-Murray. “We’re proud to play a key part in the ongoing growth of Atlantic Canada. And I hope that when our federal, provincial, and industry partners look to Saint Mary’s, they see eager learners and doers who spark innovation within our region, across Canada, and around the world.”

The Saint Mary's Entrepreneurship Centre

Staff member chosen as TD Insurance Fellow in Advancement

Susan MacCormack

Susan MacCormack, Calling Program and Outreach Coordinator at Saint Mary’s, has been selected as one of two TD Insurance Fellows in Advancement by the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education (CCAE).

The annual program selects two exceptional emerging professionals and helps provide them practical experience in the field. This is the first time this prestigious position has been awarded to Saint Mary’s.

The TD Insurance Fellowship award funds Susan’s salary for a year. As part of the Advancement team, she will have access to professional development opportunities and gain experience in alumni relations, development, marketing and communications. Susan will be officially inducted as a 2018-2019 Fellow at CCAE’s national conference in June, which is being hosted in Halifax.

“I’m really excited and honoured to receive this fellowship”, says Susan. “I can’t wait to get started on some great projects and help celebrate the success of the Saint Mary’s community.”

To learn more about Susan and her accomplishments, visit the CCAE website:  https://ccaecanada.org/en/awards-fellowships/td-fellowships-in-advancement

Celebrating business excellence among alumni at the Halifax Business Awards

Dave O’Connor, winner of the Gold Award for Business Leader of the Year

Saint Mary’s University is celebrating the success of the Saint Mary’s alumni and business leaders who were a part of the 2018 Halifax Business Awards.

Joe Metlege (left) receives the Silver Award for Business Leader of the Year

The sold-out award ceremony from the Halifax Chamber of Commerce took place in the brand new Halifax Convention Centre. It was a spectacular night of entertainment, prestige, and celebration, recognizing risk takers and the success of Halifax’s thriving business community.

It was a particularly spectacular night for Saint Mary’s University alumni. Saint Mary’s University is pleased to congratulate Christopher Webb, BA’97, and Dave O’Connor, BComm’92, who both took home top prizes. Mr. Webb is the Co-owner of PAVIA Gallery – Espresso Bar & Café. PAVIA won the 2018 Gold Award for Business of the Year. Mr. O’Connor is the President of GLOW The Event Store and was the recipient of the Gold Award for Business Leader of the Year.

The University is also celebrating:

• Joseph (Joe) Metlege, EMBA'12, President, JONO Developments Limited & Templeton Properties Ltd., who was the recipient of the Silver Award for Business Leader of the Year;
• Leah Skerry, BComm'09, CEO, Squiggle Park, who won the Silver Award for Innovative Business of the Year; and
• Jean Paul (JP) Furey, Bcomm'03, CEO, BlueLight Analytics, who won the Silver Award for Export Business of the Year and the Bronze Award for Innovative Business of the Year.

Jean Paul Furey (left) receives the Silver Award for Export Business of the Year

Also worthy of praise are the contributions of the Santamarians whose business acumen was recognized by being nominated.

Congratulations to:

• Ross Argante, BA’01, a Partner with Integrated Staffing Limited, who was nominated for Business Leader of the Year;
• Chris Robertson, Bcomm'02, Owner, Home Instead Senior Care Cape Breton, nominated for Business of the Year;
• Steve Davies, EMBA'98, President, Third Wave Consulting Inc., nominated for Innovative Business of the Year;
• Jeff Farwell; BComm'00, Owner, J Farwell Sailing, nominated for New Business of the Year; and
• the great group of Santamarians at B4Checkin, nominated for Export Business of the Year, that includes:
• Martin Mackinnon, MBA'88, CFO and Co-Founder
• Steve Miles, Bcomm'84, Vice President – Operations; and
• Greg Thompson, EMBA'04, VP - Customer Relations

Back-to-back national football champions inducted into the Saint Mary's Sport Hall of Fame

Back-to-back national championships were honoured this year as two Saint Mary's University football teams were inducted into the Saint Mary's University Sport Hall of Fame, October 15.

In 2001, the Saint Mary's Huskies knew they had a special football team. The team went on a blistering 11-0 run that season, outscoring their regular league opposition 480-35 and post- season opponents 128-31. During this dominant season, the team did not give up a single rushing touchdown.

Blake Nill, head coach of the Huskies 1998 - 2005 commented, "What makes this time of my career so special was not just the on-field accomplishments by an outstanding group of athletes and coaches but how we were viewed off field.  There was a Huskies presence throughout campus, the city of Halifax and the province.  The 2001 and 2002 editions of Huskies Football were teams that truly represented the Maritimes, their pride, and the long standing traditions of this community".

Then assistant coach Steve Sumarah said that he considered the 2001 Huskies "the most dominant team in the history of Canadian university football." The team went on to defeat the Laval Rouge et Or 48-8 in the Atlantic Bowl and then the Manitoba Bisons 42-16 in the Vanier Cup game where they became national champions.

The 2002 season proved more challenging for the defending Vanier Cup Champions.  Losing to both Acadia Axemen and St. Francis Xavier X-Men, the team went on to post a 6-2 regular season record, tying St. Francis Xavier for top spot in the conference but claiming the conference's top spot due to a greater point spread. The Huskies went on to defeat St. Francis Xavier 63-14 for the Atlantic Championship.

Led by quarterback Steve Panella, who would be named the Vanier Cup's Most Valuable Player, Saint Mary's would go to defeat their dogged rivals the Saskatchewan Huskies 33-21 in the national championships to become the first repeat winner of the Vanier Cup in 25 years.

The 2001 and 2002 Saint Mary's Huskies championship football teams were inducted into the Saint Mary's University Sport Hall of Fame during Homecoming Weekend, October 15th.

Historic all-black line discusses past and future of black athletes in hockey

Damon Kwame Mason, Darrell Maxwell, Bob Dawson, Percy Paris, Willie O'Ree

In 1970, Bob Dawson, Percy Paris, and Darrell Maxwell formed the first all-black line on a Canadian university hockey team. On October 12, the historic linemates revisited their alma mater for an exciting and moving evening looking at the history—and future—of black athletes in hockey, in Nova Scotia and internationally.

The evening included a screening of Soul on Ice: Past, Present, Future, a feature-length documentary about the history, current state of play, and prospects of black hockey players. Filmmaker Damon Kwame Mason was in attendance, along with Willie O’Ree, the first black player in the NHL and currently the league’s Diversity Ambassador.

Following the screening, the former players engaged in a panel discussion, moderated by former CBC sports broadcaster Bruce Rainnie, and shared stories of their youth and early athletic careers, and engaged with contemporary questions around politics, race, and sport.

The event received generous support from the Province of Nova Scotia 150 Forward Fund and, at Saint Mary’s University, the Office of the President, Alumni Affairs, the Department of History, the Centre for the Study of Sport and Health, the Centre for the Interdisciplinary Study of Culture, and the Atlantic Canada Studies Program.

Saint Mary’s honours back-to-back national football championship teams with Hall of Fame induction

Back-to-back national championships are being honored this year as two Saint Mary’s University football teams will be inducted into the Saint Mary’s University Sport Hall of Fame.

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